


Plans, Thwarted and Otherwise

by ilyena_sylph, Merfilly



Series: Midnight Verse [20]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Consensual Violence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-07
Updated: 2012-12-07
Packaged: 2017-11-20 12:42:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/585545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilyena_sylph/pseuds/ilyena_sylph, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the virus is halted, mechs are thinking, and things keep changing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Plans, Thwarted and Otherwise

**Author's Note:**

> My apologies if you read this before I tagged for consensual violence and upped the rating to Teen. I spaced out on the fact I had written Starscream/Megatron being themselves.

Starscream should have been in stasis, and his HUD was letting him know it. However, with the opportunity he now had, his stubbornness had kicked in, bringing him back up to a level of alertness that let him manipulate small nanite particles to carry the antivirus. This would not be as quick or as effective as hacking the mech's processors, but it would deliver the agent necessary to begin bringing Megatron back to a level of competence Starscream could enjoy testing.

When he had the nanites ready, and he knew Megatron was close to full awareness again, the Seeker started running his fingers along the cannon arm, caressing the joins where the cannon normally rested. Megatron's response was potently obvious, as the leader responded with a crushing grip along one aileron. Starscream bucked and moaned, encouraging Megatron to try and put him in his place again, nanites ready to deliver along the data connections and in the spark merge that was bound to happen this time.

Megatron never liked it when Starscream didn't collapse into stasis from being mauled, after all.

`~`~`~`~`

Jazz was deliberating his next step already. He'd taken the antivirus to clear his processor, then immediately started working on a more effective solution that would eradicate the plague once and for all. The only problem was in the sheer fact that this went into a level of quantum science that was far above his capability.

He thought about turning to Perceptor to work on that part of the problem, but that still left a vector for delivery to figure out. If they could work out a method based on a comm signal...

His visor flashed, as he immediately tagged Blaster. ::B. my main mech, you still supposed to open negotiations with Soundy?::

::Prime has approved me to do so,:: Blaster commed back. ::What's on your processor, Jazz?::

::Me and Percy get a breakdown on the nanites, you and Soundwave figure out a broadcast vector,:: Jazz offered to him.

::Sonic attack on that... no, you're thinking his ability and mine meshed with Perceptor's science and your hacking... clever, but won't that make us vulnerable to whatever else Soundwave wants to put in place?::

::I can code some protections in as part of the inoculation series we're using to keep the effects at bay,:: Jazz reassured him. ::You think you can communicate it to Soundwave, given that we're pretty certain he's now in the clear?::

::You can bet your sub-woofers I will!::

::Knew I could count on you!:: Jazz shot back, before terminating the link and going to work on the whole solution with Perceptor.

`~`~`~`~`

Megatron had been having a growing awareness of certain discrepancies in his processor. When Soundwave had informed him that he was going to go retrieve his symbionts, the flare of both pride in Soundwave's capabilities and his anger over the retreat in their last battle had been so at odds that Megatron had merely flicked a hand irritably and gone on about his own business.

Starscream was absent again. The duty logs, loose as they were, indicated he was foraging supplies, but as Megatron thought back, he recognized that his second had rarely been present ever since....

The lack of concrete data on how long this recurrent absence pattern had lasted forced Megatron to truly take stock of his processor, seeing the flaws in it as if looking from outside himself.

"It's Starscream's fault," he growled to no one in particular, even as the accusation rang false against a portion of his processor.

Whatever was at fault, Megatron needed to get to the bottom of it, and he certainly did not feel like engaging the in-depth diagnostics he needed while aboard the ship with anyone able to take advantage of his lack of awareness.

He started to laugh as the solution came to him. He would wait until Soundwave had returned, and then go give Optimus Prime a chance to capture him. A good fight, and the protection of those idealistic simpleton Autobots would be perfect for the defragmentation he needed.

`~`~`~`~`

Soundwave, full of his symbionts once again, and contemplating the offer of assistance from his frame-kin, was able to encrypt comms sufficiently to reach out to Starscream upon his return to the ship. Megatron's departure did not concern him at all, and the various Decepticons who might have challenged Starscream in charge were easily deflected by Soundwave's self-protective insinuations against their processors.

::Starscream, new data available,:: he sent, frowning when there was only static back from what should have been the Seeker's end. Two more attempts resulted in the same lack of contact, making the communicator reach out to Thundercracker instead. ::Thundercracker, report Starscream's location.::

Try as he might, Soundwave was unable to gain any sense of where the missing Air Commander was as Thundercracker replied. ::He's foraging, Soundwave. I'll pass on that you were seeking him.:: The steadiest of the command trine was protective of his commander, and no processor weasel like Soundwave was getting data snitches from him.

::Starscream, contact soon,:: Soundwave ordered before cutting communication to check on the antiviral progress of his symbionts.

`~`~`~`~`

"What in all the pits happened to you?!" Ratchet demanded as Optimus Prime came into medical. The leader's elbow was all but disconnected, both chest panes were fractured, the grill was smashed, and there were several scorch points in the armor.

"Megatron." Optimus looked rather confused as he said it, though.

"Why'd you go and tangle with him? Alone?" Ratchet pressed, but that confusion was worth noting, and he added a scan to be certain the inoculation was still functioning.

"I was patrolling to consider how I was going to approach the negotiations that must happen, when he must have spotted me and engaged me before I could think to call back up."

"Like you would have," Ratchet grumbled, already working on the repairs.

"We fought... and I won?" That was the part that was confusing Optimus Prime, as he knew the likelihood of him winning a one on one encounter with his nemesis was unlikely. 

"Maybe his gears are finally slipping after all this time," the medic told his friend and leader.

"Or maybe, he wants something," Optimus reasoned. "Something he can only discuss away from his own army."

"You're not thinking of going to the brig to find out... of course you are. Why am I even bothering to repair you?" Ratchet groused, but he kept working, while Optimus did some consideration.


End file.
